Care Ambassadors

Every new pediatric patient who is under 18 years old who comes to Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston for diabetes care is assigned a "care ambassador." Your care ambassador will periodically check in with you during your healthcare visit and will call or e-mail you in between visits to help with questions, problems or any resources you need during your first year of care at Joslin

The first year after diabetes is diagnosed is particularly challenging for families. There is so much to learn and many adjustments to make. Diabetes requires frequent blood glucose checks and multiple injections, taking into account meal planning and exercise. Children’s school and activity schedules tend to vary daily, which adds to the challenge.

Better Results

Your care ambassador will make check-in phone calls to you or send e-mails to you during your first year of care to see how your family is doing. The goal is to help families identify small issues before they become bigger problems.

Research has shown that children and teens with type 1 diabetes with care ambassador support services are over three times more likely to improve their blood glucose levels than those who received standard care. They come for more clinic appointments, have fewer episodes of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and fewer emergency room visits or hospitalizations.

Poor blood glucose control increases the likelihood of developing serious complications like blindness and heart disease later in life. It is extremely important to start good diabetes care early and make it a lifelong habit.

The care ambassador model is a key feature of Eleanor Chesterman Beatson Child Life Pediatric Care Ambassador JumpStart Program. We want to make sure that every child or teen gets off on the right track. The pay-off is a lifetime of better health.